
Zanzibar Prison Island Tour
Changuu, known as Prison Island, lies off Stone Town and was built as a prison at the end of the 19th century, but was then used mainly as a quarantine station for yellow fever cases.
Zanzibar Prison Island Tour at a glance
Changuu, better known as Prison Island, lies around 20 minutes by boat off Stone Town. The prison on the island never held any prisoners; instead, Changuu was used as a quarantine station. Today visitors come mainly for the Aldabra giant tortoise sanctuary, where some of the tortoises are estimated to be over 100 years old. The first four animals were sent as a gift in 1919 by the British governor of the Seychelles. A short walk around the island and a swim in the clear water round things off nicely. Half a day, often combined with the Stone Town tour. You may feed the tortoises but not ride them; apparently that needed saying at some point.
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